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Title: Six from Greeley

Author: Josh Langston

Narrator: Vernon Kuehn

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-21-13

Publisher: Brian K. Langston

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Greeley, Texas - a frontier town with a bad attitude and a reputation to match. Who lived in such a wicked place? Several compelling answers spring to life in this short story collection spanning more than a century of life, love, and lust in the West Texas dust.

Some characters come and go; others appear in multiple stories, and some of the most memorable aren't even human.

Six from Greeley will take listeners on a tour they'll enjoy from beginning to end, leaving them hungry for more.

Members Reviews:

Don't Forget Your Gun . . .

"Six From Greeley" by Josh Langston is a collection of six short stories that take the reader on a delightful romp through the lives of some of the most memorable characters the town of Greeley, TX has to offer. Starting in the mid 1800's in "Etta's Gold" and wrapping up somewhere around 1975 in "Greeley's Finest", each of the Greeley tales comes to life with lively characters, distinctive wit, and unseen twists. Not to mention a solid writing style that pulls the reader in and keeps them there as in this excerpt from "Oberon Pratt and the Paradise Posse":

I fully expected him to blow. I just knew there'd be Pratt shrapnel carvin' up church-goers from one end of Greeley to the other. Instead, he got real quiet, and his breathing leveled out like he'd received good news instead of bad. It was the scariest damned thing I'd ever seen. . .

If you're in the mood for a light read that makes you wish there was more, you won't be disappointed.Six from Greeley

Not Your Typical Western!

"Six From Greeley," a collection of short stories chronicling the progression of Greeley, TX, from a tiny post-Civil War camp town to a thriving city in postmodern America, contains everything from murder mystery to historical fiction. While a couple characters make minor reappearances, many of stories introduce new characters for each new era. While I don't typically care for Westerns, I found myself truly engaged in "Six From Greeley," as both the town's chronology and the characters fascinated me. Just a sprinkling of the cast of characters include a decorated Civil War veteran, an up-and-coming minor league baseball player, and a female race car driver.

6 short stories

6 stories slowly progress thru time. Most are entertaining, some are a little short of what I liked. Overall, mostly good.

I really enjoyed this book.

Pick a place with a bit of history and write six stories about the people in it, covering more than a hundred years and several generations. Each story stands alone. The final story makes a special connection so that each story assumes its part of a larger plot. Clever concept, well written, great reading. Make it four and a half stars from me!

Six Very Interesting Short Stories In Greeley Texas.

This is a book that has six stories in it that start in the 1800s and go up to the 1970s and they are a progression in the small town of Greeley, Texas. I have never read a book like this before but I found to be very interesting and entertaining.

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Title: The Death of Lyndon Wilder and its Consequences Thereof

Author: E.A. Dineley

Narrator: Charlotte Strevens

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-20-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

When governess Anna Arbuthnot arrives at Ridley Hall, she finds a house in deep mourning. Lyndon Wilder, oldest and most beloved son of Lord and Lady Charles has been killed in the Napoleonic Wars, leaving behind him a now orphaned daughter, Lottie and other undiscovered troubles. Anna finds it easy to establish a bond with her young charge, but other relationships in the house begin to strain under the weight of Lyndon's absence. When Thomas Wilder, the younger son and new heir, returns from war, he finds his family in chaos and Lyndon's legacy threatening Ridley Hall's future.

As executor of his brother's will and guardian of his daughter, Thomas is forced to leave the military life he loves, and is confined to the faltering estate of his childhood. It is only with Anna's help that Thomas can save Ridley, and most crucially, protect his parents from the truth about Lyndon Wilder...

Members Reviews:

Almost Jane Austen meets Georgette Heyer: but miles better than that would suggest

How much more difficult it is to write a favourable review than to slam a stinker. So I'm almost stuck for words. Is it enough for me to say, "Read Lyndon Wilder!"? Or do you need to be told that this is a wonderful little novel whose finely wrought plot unfolds around great characters by means of excellent prose? It's set in England during the late Napoleonic war period and as such might perhaps be dismissed by book-cover judges as just another (yawn) 'regency romance' historical novel and/or J. Austen clone/G. Heyer wannabe. But don't be deceived into facile judgement. I don't know how I heard about LW - maybe read a review in passing - but I'm glad I did. It's the sort of book that, if I hadn't read it, would have left a big hole in the sum total of my annual reading pleasure. It's high on my books of the year list, partly because it was such an unexpected little treasure.

Definitely NOT a bodice ripper but an intelligent journey with very well developed characters, beautiful language and enough twi

I wasn't really expecting to love this book. It looked too long (just shy of 600 pages) and the cover didn't grab me. Time too precious to not be reading great books. I read it on a friends recommendation. I was urged to read it and I am so glad that I did. The opening letter from newly appointed governess grabs your interest and introduces the setting and scene. That gives a wonderful taster of further treasure to come. The language used by the the author is a joy. Dineley manages to evoke each character so precisely in appearance and sentiment. She takes us through complicated family dynamics and explores a vast range of relationships; Governess Anna and her charge, Lottie; mother / son, father / son, brothers, child friendships, groom and master and many, many more. As well as the obvious theme grief, other themes are explored subtlety - duty, deceit, injustice etc. Despite the title, this is not a morbid book. It has a lightness of spirit. I read almost half the story in one train journey and mislaid the book somewhere on return...when I found it again, I read the rest in a couple of days. It is not a drama packed, page turner but offers a genuinely refreshing take on a historical novel.

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Title: Love Like Gatsby

Author: Alexia Wells

Narrator: Lila Fallon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 06-18-13

Publisher: Lost Diary Press

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It is the Roaring Twenties, the era of Gatsby and flappers, the Charleston and Art Deco. Monica Woodard may bob her hair and raise the hem of her dresses, but she doesn't feel liberated. Now summer is coming to an end. The last lavish party of the season at aloof tycoon Jared Fitzgerald's "Mansion on the Rock," an event not to be missed, is that night. Reluctantly, Monica agrees to go along with friends to crash it. They assure her that everyone will be there so they won't be noticed in the crowd. That isn't the case...Jared notices Monica. When happenstance finds her the last to leave, he keeps her there and sweeps her up in a decadent night to remember.

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Title: The Glass Harmonica

Author: Dorothee E. Kocks

Narrator: Dorothee E. Kocks

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-10-13

Publisher: Beware The Timid Life publishing

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

With music by Linda Ronstadt (soprano) and glass harmonica musicians Dennis James and Alisa Nakashian-Holsberg, this knock-out historical novel is now available worldwide as an audiobook. Young Chjara Vallé is exiled from Corsica sold as a servant to an opium addict in Paris. Music paves the way for her to flee with Henry, her love, to post-revolutionary America. There the new freedoms and Puritan vigor compete for ascendancy. Chjara woos and scandalizes in equal measure with her playing of Benjamin Franklin's glass harmonica, while Henry hides his trade in erotica and forbidden books. Secrets gather and the charge between the lovers weakens as the crowds begin to call for the family's blood. Rooted in historical fact, this debut novel by a gifted international storyteller takes you into a passionate world full of dangerous ideas and dangerous men it is a world you'll not want to leave. For more on the true history behind the novel, a companion non-fiction ebook recreates America's first sexual revolution with archival art, bawdy poetry reenacted in video, and an online discussion salon. Such Were My Temptations: Bawdy Americans, 1760-1830 by Dorothee Kocks is available from www.BewareTheTimidLife.com and from iTunes, Amazon, and other e-retailers. The Glass Harmonica, A Sensualist's Tale was first published in New Zealand by Rosa Mira Books.

Critic Reviews:

"Music, love, virtue, sex, desire it all comes together in The Glass Harmonica, a knock-out historical novel... reminiscent of Louis de Bernières." (Ngaire Atmore, New Zealand Herald)

"Engrossing as the story is with historical detail, there is also a poignant study of a marriage complications which still ring true today, making this a relatable and immensely satisfying read." (Arleigh Johnson, Historical Novel Society)

"A riveting and unique read with plenty of twists and turns highly recommended." (Midwest Book Review)

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Title: Outbreak One: Washington Territory

Subtitle: The Walker Chronicles

Author: Jason Kristopher

Narrator: Andrew McFerrin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-16-13

Publisher: Grey Gecko Press

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In the winter of 1872, Captain William Trace and his men were ordered to investigate a series of unexplained attacks on local citizens in the remote villages of the wild and untamed Washington Territory. What Captain Trace found was pure nightmare fuel, and what had started as a simple reconnaissance mission had become something far, far more.

For Captain Trace, the winter of 1872 was about survival, not just of the body, but of the mind. For who could look at monsters such as these and not come away changed?

This short story references characters, locations and organizations from the novel The Dying of the Light: End, also by Jason Kristopher.

Members Reviews:

All nightmares have a beginning...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely! If you like zombies, you would enjoy this short story. After I read and listen The Dying of the Light: End this story explains how this nightmare started.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Captain William Trace, the main character. I liked the way this first outbreak is seen through Trace's eyes.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Andrew McFerrin?

Probably

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Title: The Shenandoah Spy

Author: Francis Hamit

Narrator: Gail Shalan, John Zdrojeski

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-09-13

Publisher: Brass Cannon Books

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Historical fact-based fiction about the famous spy who played a key role in Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign. This narrative takes place between July 1861 and July 1862 and is the first in a series about the Confederate Secret Service and the women who were its most effective agents. Belle Boyd was the first woman in American History to be formally commissioned an army officer.

Members Reviews:

A very good listen except for a few scenes

This was a very good listen. I would have given it a 5 except for the shocking change in writing style describing Belle's interactions with the character Daniel Kileya and two others. They were totally out of context with the style of the rest of the story and very jarring when you arrive at those parts when listening to the book. If these scenes were written in the style of the rest of the book, I would highly recommend it without condition. Both readers were excellent. I am definitely going to read and/or listen to more books by this author.

Lively and entertaining historical fiction

Would you consider the audio edition of The Shenandoah Spy to be better than the print version?

The narration brings the story to life! The well defined voices the narrators bring to the many colorful characters make this account of the civil war a joy to listen to.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It is very interesting to hear the Confederate view of the Civil War, especially through the eyes of a young smart and brave women, Belle Boyd.

Any additional comments?

I would love to recommend this audio book to many of my friend's children as it would be an excellent fast paced and historically informative story for the many youth interested in the Civil War. However, due to the explicit and overly detailed sex scenes I, unfortunately cannot. I believe the pornographic scenes are a distraction for adult readers as well and would be more effective with more subtlety. I hope the author considers releasing an edited version so that this wonderful audio book can reach a wider audience.

Skip this book

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I could not listen to this book due to the extremely poor narration - lost money on this one. The narrator speaks very, very quickly - a hurtling freight train - and there is an absolute absence of tone or emphasis variation. Skip this one and maybe read the book instead.

Would you ever listen to anything by Francis Hamit again?

don't know

How could the performance have been better?

Dump the narrator and get someone who can vary their tone, etc to match different characters and SLOW DOWN. I think there was an attempt to do a southern accent several times, hard to tell, but it absolutely did not work.

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Title: The Minikins of Yam

Author: Thomas Burnett Swann

Narrator: Amy Gramour

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-07-13

Publisher: John Betancourt

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Thomas Burnett Swann was a brilliant fantasy writer who died in 1976. He wrote primarily about the ancient Greek and Roman world, blending myth with romance and adventure. A reviewer in the Village Voice sums his work up well: "Swann's neo-romantic fantasies of the past are unique. He uses the stuff of myth but with twists and inventions of his own."

Swann takes the listener to Ancient Egypt, the Egypt of Pharoahs and beast-headed gods, beyond whose borders lay the jungles and kingdoms of whisper and legend. This is the story of a young Pharoah, of his journey beyond those mystical borders, of his meeting with ghosts, gods, and the marvelous minikins. It is a Swann novel to rank with How Are the Mighty Fallen and Green Phoenix in the esteem of fantasy fiction readers...

Members Reviews:

Incomplete

Caveat emptor: as far as I can tell from Amazon's "Look Inside", the Wildside Press editions of this book OMIT THE PROLOGUE. Granted, it's only one page, but it does contain some important foreshadowing. It's all Don Wollheim's fault for printing the prologue in the wrong place in the DAW Books first edition - it's on true page 1 opposite the inside front cover and before the title page. But Wildside Press also dropped the ball badly on this one, because if they had only bothered to read Swann's Wikipedia bibliography they would have KNOWN that and reproduced it in the right place. In short: if you want the complete text, by the DAW paperback and start reading inside the front cover.

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Title: Traitor's Field

Author: Robert Wilton

Narrator: Cameron Stewart

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 36 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-01-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It is 1648 and Britain is at war with itself. The Royalists are defeated but Parliament is in turmoil, its power weakened by internal discord. Royalism's last hope is Sir Mortimer Shay, a ruthless veteran of decades of intrigue who must rebuild a credible threat to Cromwell's rule, whatever the cost. John Thurloe is a young official in Cromwell's service. Confronted by the extent of the Royalists' secret intelligence network, he will have to fight the true power reaching into every corner of society: the Comptrollerate-General for Scrutiny and Survey.

Robert Wilton has held a variety of posts in the British Ministry of Defence, Foreign Office, and Cabinet Office. He was advisor to the Prime Minister of Kosovo in the lead-up to the country's independence, and has now returned there as a senior international official. He divides his time between Kosovo and Cornwall.

Members Reviews:

A difficult listen

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. I might recommend it to read on paper (with a warning about the style) but couldn't recommend it as an audiobook. It's one of the few books that I find doesn't work as a reading despite the best efforts of the very good narrator.

Would you recommend Traitor's Field to your friends? Why or why not?

As already explained.

Have you listened to any of Cameron Stewarts other performances? How does this one compare?

This is my first book read by Cameron Stewart so I cannot compare. However, I think he did a very good job and has a very pleasant reading voice with a good range of accents and tones of voice.

Did Traitor's Field inspire you to do anything?

I might read other books about the period but will choose carefully after this experience.

Any additional comments?

I have had this book in my library for over a year and I have lost count of the number of times I started it and gave up and had to start again. I made myself stick with it and listened to nothing else for two weeks so it was a chore and not enjoyable.

The problem is with the first half, which is so disjointed and all of the characters are so shadowy that I found it impossible to get embroiled. Scene setting and a mysterious tone are all very fine but I missed any form of narrative drive or any character I could fully engage with until 10 hours into the reading. It finally took off when it became clear who the two main characters are and what the thing is that will pitch them against each other. They may be on opposing sides of the civil war but it still needs a specific bone of contention and at last we had it over half way through.

The other thing which makes it a difficult listen, as distinct from a read, is that there are regular quotations from contemporary documents, including the numerical references and the library where they are stored. The eye can skate over the references on the page but they intrude into a reading and destroy the mood of the piece.

I have seen other reviews suggesting that readers who enjoy Hilary Mantel's books may get on better with the style of this book. All I can say is that this did not apply in my case. I would count Wolf Hall amongst my favourite reads and listens of all time but that did not mean I enjoyed this listen.

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Title: The Last Conquest

Author: Berwick Coates

Narrator: William Gaminara

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-01-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

On the top of the hill stands a solitary grey apple tree, the symbol of all that England is.

In less than a week this will be the scene of the greatest battle in living memory. At the grey apple tree two armies will face one another. Two men will lead those armies. And two forces will become one - a victorious nation, a valiant army, a conqueror.

This is a battle for honour, a battle for survival. This is a battle for England.

Members Reviews:

Five Stars

great read

Five Stars

great vendor, great book

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Title: Moonroy

Subtitle: A Story of the American Revolution in the South

Author: Beverly Enwall

Narrator: Beverly Enwall

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-16-13

Publisher: Asgaard Viking Editions

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A novel about the family of Peter Monclair, his family and his slaves, since any colonial plantation was, although Jefferson stated such could not exist, in reality a biracial community. Moonroy, founded by Peter's father, a French Huguenot and one-time pirate, was not one of the grand river plantations of South Carolina, but it was a prosperous one. Peter was an early signer under Gadsden's Liberty Tree and, like many of his friends, came to realize that reason and law would not change England's policies.

Change would come only through war. His four children had grown into young adults and there had been changes on the slave street by the war broke out. In South Carolina it began June 28, 1776, when British warships attacked Charles Town, the first of three attacks between 1776 and 1780 that changed everyone's life.